The furnace building at Vale’s Copper Cliff complex caught fire on Monday, in a blaze Greater Sudbury firefighters snuffed without injury.
Career firefighters from the Downtown, Long Lake, Minnow Lake and New Sudbury alongside volunteers from the Copper Cliff station responded during the early morning hours.
“On arrival Vale staff informed the platoon chief that a floor of the furnace building had caught fire,” according to a social media post by Sudbury Professional Fire Fighters.
“From a distance, heavy black smoke could be seen venting from the roof of the building. When crews arrived at the furnace building, engine one and ladder one crews entered the building and made their way to the fire floor.”
The platoon chief confirmed with Vale staff that no one was left in the building.
Initial crews were reportedly met with heavy smoke and “pushed forward to find a hose cabinet to get water on the fire.”
Although preparing themselves for what was expected to be a lengthy fire scene, firefighters managed to control and extinguish the blaze quickly, according to Sudbury Professional Fire Fighters.
No one was reportedly injured, and damage was contained to the floor in question.
A few hours later, the scene was returned to Vale staff and firefighters were able to return to their stations..
Sudbury.com reached out to Vale communications staff for additional insight, and they provided the following statement after this story was initially published:
"On Monday, a small fire was extinguished at the Copper Cliff Smelter Complex's furnace building with assistance from the Sudbury Fire Department. There were no injuries, and the smelter is operating normally."
